Tag Archives: wilderness

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Shoreline and Reflected Ridge

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Shoreline and Reflected Ridge
“Shoreline and Reflected Ridge” — A Sierra Nevada ridge reflected in a subalpine wilderness lake.

If you are a Sierra Nevada backcountry traveler, you recognize this a a classic Range of Light scene. It was early morning, and I had been photographing since before sunrise. I walked the shoreline of this subalpine lake, following terrain like that in this photograph. The sun’s light angled across the high peaks and talus slopes as it rose above ridges to the east.

When I first backpacked many years ago, I was astonished by the mere existence of such places and the idea that I could wander through them. Eventually I slowed down and no longer thought of scenes like this as just staging for the higher peaks, but as important places on their own. These days I’m happy to linger with my camera gear, often pausing just to look.

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G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

Conservation/Environment, History, News, Photographers, Stories

The First Light Group, Through My Eyes

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I will have more to say about this video and its context in a later post (though see below for a bit more information), but I wanted to share this Scot Miller video about the band of photographers known informally as “The First Light Group” and my role in the group.

There’s a lot more to say about the First Light project, but for now here is a little background. In the early 2000s the group assembled, with support from the Yosemite Conservancy, and headed into the Sierra Nevada backcountry with a special mission: to place landscape photographers in the wilderness for extended periods of time to create photographs that embody the character of these remote places. Over a period of nearly two decades we photographed all over the range.

You can subscribe to Scot Miller’s YouTube channel, where you’ll find more First Light videos and plenty of other material from him.

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G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: The Southwest, Photographs: Utah

Slot Canyon Walls

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Slot Canyon Walls
“Slot Canyon Walls” — Soft light penetrates the depths of a slot canyon.

The material making up the walls of Southwest slot canyons varies quite a bit depending on which strata the canyon traverses. Sometimes the rock can be broken and somewhat unattractive, sometimes it can hold fossils or show joints between different layers. But in some places the sandstone seems pristine — solid layers of rock broken only by small details and textures. That was the case here, at a spot where a canyon junction allowed in a bit of extra light.

I made this photograph on my first visit to this spot about a decade ago. Because I like to see with fresh eyes and because I enjoy discovery, I often intentionally forego a lot pre-visit research, preferring to show up and just look on my own. That was the case on this day when I turned, more or less on a lark, down a gravel side road, found a place to park, and just started walking, eventually coming to this spot and others that were equally beautiful.

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G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Shoreline and Trees, Morning

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Shoreline and Trees, Morning
“Shoreline and Trees, Morning” — Warm morning backlight on trees along the shore of a subalpine Sierra Nevada lake.

This will be one of (but perhaps not quite the) last photographs I’ll share for now from my July backpack trip. A group of us went into the Eastern Sierra Nevada just outside of the northeast boundary of Yosemite National Park. sWe did a low-mileage four-day trip, which left me with plenty of morning and evening time for photography. But even with two mornings and two evenings in this particular spot I didn’t have all of the time that I could have used.

I have visited this area many times over the years, so I had some ideas about what I might photograph. This raised shoreline area, located between the lake and large meadow below it, was on my short list. I got distracted by other subjects on the first morning and missed the brief moment of ideal light when the shoreline is highlighted and the background remains in shadow. I wasn’t going to make that mistake again on the second morning, so I was there and ready when the light arrived.

Leave a comment or question using the form. (If you are reading this on the home page, click the article title to see the full article and the comment form.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.